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Class _ir JjW 
Book,__I _*o£« 



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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



THE 



RETREAT FROM PULASKI 
TO NASHVILLE, TENN. 



pattle of Jfranfeltn, QTennesisee 

Jgobember 30tfj, 1864 



With Maps, Sketches, Portraits and 
PJwtog raph ic Views 



By LEVI T. SCOFIELD 

Late Captain and Engineer Officer 23rd Army Corps 



CLEVELAND: 

PRESS OF THE CAXTON CO. 

1909 



£47? 



c 'ofiyright, igog, 
By Levi T. Sco field 




THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI TO NASHVILLE, TENN. 7 





Mat. Gen. U. S. Grant, 
Com. U. S. Army. 



Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman, 
Com. Military Div. of the Mississippi. 



WHILE the weary but hardy veterans of Sherman's army were en- 
joying a short but sorely needed breathing spell on the wooded 
hills of Cherokee County. Ala., Gen. Hood with his army, equally 
worn and more destitute of supplies, was content to rest at a fairly safe 
distance near Florence, on the Tennessee River. 

After he was compelled to abandon the Atlanta stronghold, the in- 
trepid Southron had determined to destroy our Cracker line, the army 
name for the railroads over which our supplies were transported, and 
to prevent this audacious movement there had been a severe strain of 
constant watching and tedious night marches on the part of our army. 

Sherman, in his quick, nervous way would direct his Corps Com- 
manders, as they started off in the darkness, to occasionally set a house 
afire to let him know where they were. 

Hood's wily and energetic cavalry leader. Gen. Forrest, had with his 
force been almost constantly in their saddles, and this temporary sus- 
pension gave him the opportunity to rest his jaded steeds and recruit 
with fresh mounts. ( )n one of these quiet days our great commander 
stood on the slope in front of his quarters, grimly peering adown the 
smoky valleys and over the purple ranges that separated him from his 
impulsive antagonist, and deliberately planned the boldest military move- 
ment recorded in history, the famous '"March to the Sea." 



THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 



THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. 

When on one bright morning of early May Sherman's 100,000 
marched out on the red-clay hills of northern Georgia to battle against the 
75,000 that Johnston had held together, it was well known the contest 
would be mighty and that the oak-shaded hills and cottonfields on the 
path of war would be bathed with blood. The ablest commander in the 
Confederate army was opposed to us, and the proof of his military genius 
was manifested by his masterly retreat upon his stronghold, where for 
120 consecutive days of fighting, with spirited skirmishes every day and 
general engagements every week, he entered the fortifications of Atlanta 
without having lost by capture a single fieldpiece, wagon or even a camp 
kettle. 

The long Summer had cruelly tested the endurance of both armies, 
and during the first three months of the campaign, in the frequent as- 
saults of the blue-uniformed warriors against the strong fieldworks that 
formed a gridiron across our lines of advance, we lost 20,000 brave men, 
and in the fourth month the Confederate army, under their new com- 
mander, lost an equal number in their mad rushes and sallies against our 
fortified cordon, and this, with the train loads they carried back over the 
Etowah and Chattahoochee Valleys, together with those buried on the 
battlefields, swelled their losses to 30,000. 

In the early days of November, 1864, Sherman's army, divided at 
Gaylesville, the General, taking the Eourteenth, Fifteenth, Seventeenth 
and Twentieth Corps, numbering over 60,000 men, formed them into 
two wings and started for the Atlantic coast. 

He left the Fourth and Twenty-third Corps, mustering 26,000 men, 
to oppose Hood's army of 54,000 men in all branches of service. 

It seemed perhaps natural for Hood to believe that the way was left 
open for him to lead his army where he pleased, and that he could easily 
sweep away anything that would confront him in his triumphal march 
to Nashville, Louisville and Cincinnati. 

But Sherman selected from his able associates the two commanders 
in whom he had the greatest confidence — Thomas and Schofield ; having 
full knowledge of the former's wonderful power in organization, and the 
brains and capacity of the latter for execution. 

As he marched his splendid army down through the mountain val- 
leys of northern Alabama and Georgia toward Atlanta, he realized that 
the fighting would be done by those he left behind. But his experience 
in the Summer campaign gave him full reliance that their work would be 
well done, and that the two Generals would make no mistakes, but with 
the forces under them would accomplish as much as might be done by 



TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 





Maj. Gen. George II. Thomas, 

Com. Federal Troops Nashville 

Campaign. 



Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield, 
Com. 23d A. C, 4th A. C. and Wil- 
son's Cavalry at Franklin, Term. 



any two leaders in any country or age. The Twenty-third and Fourth 
Corps, upon whom so much depended, marched in quick order. The 
former to Resaca and Dalton, where transportation awaited to take them 
by rail to Nashville, and thence to Pulaski, arriving there the second week 
in November. 

This movement was ordered by Thomas, the senior officer, but was 
under the direct command of Schofield. 

The commanding General made his headquarters at Nashville, and 
remained there to organize a strong force, made up of detachments that 
had been on duty in the rear, also new regiments that had been recently 
recruited, and those, together with Gen. A. J. Smith's Corps, which had 
been ordered from the West, would reinforce the army at the front to 
an equal or larger number than Hood's, and enable us to face him, or 
even overcome his army. 

At the same time vigorous efforts were made to remount, equip and 
place our cavalry on a better footing, with Gen. Wilson in command, 
who was expected to cope with the same branch of Hood's army, under 
Forrest, which numbered over 12,000 men. 

Schofield's duty was to watch and retard Hood while this concentra- 
tion about Nashville was progressing. Hood, however, was not inclined 



THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 




TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 




<^ |! 






Lt. Gex. G. T. Beauregard, Gen. Joseph E.Johnston, 

Com. Confederate Forces in Middle Com. Confederate Forces, Atlanta 
Tennessee. North Carolina campaign. 



to wait for our preparations, and was ordered by Beauregard, who was 
his superior in command, to push forward from Florence, which he did 
on the 20th of November, expecting to Hank Schofield at Lawrenceburg 
and cut off his retreat by rail from Pulaski. Mood's friends, spies and 
scouts, in and about Nashville, kept him accurately informed as to 
Thomas's movements, so that he determined upon as rapid an advance 
as possible; but had roads retarded him so that almost a week had passed 
before he was able to concentrate his whole force at Columbia. 

In the meantime Caprbn's, Croxton's and Hatch's cavalry were cov- 
ering his front and on the lookout", and sent word to Schofield, who im- 
mediately prepared to fall hack to Columbia. 

Gen. Cox's Division of the Twenty-third Corps left its camps and 
started on the Columbia pike on the 22t\ and marched to Lynville, where 
it was joined by Wagner's Division, Fourth Corps. 

( )n the afternoon of the 2^\ we marched to the junction of the Alt. 
Pleasant and Shelbyville roads. Before daylight of the 24th we were 
ordered to march to Columbia, and arrived there just after sunrise. As 
we approached the town the well-kept farms and spacious lawns, with 
long, straight lanes bordered with trees, leading tip to the handsome man- 
dons, gave tts the impression of peace and comfort. But how quickly 
there was to he a change. 



THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 



COLUMBIA TENN 




TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 








\ 



Lt. Gen. John B. Hood. 
Com. Confederate Forces, Nashville 

Campaign. 



Ma j. Gen. Nathan B. Forest, 
Com. Cavalry of Hood's Army. 



We were met, south of the town, by an officer of Ruger's staff, who 
informed us that Capron's cavalry were pouring into the town, and that 
the Confederates were not far behind them. Gen. Cox took in the situa- 
tion at once, and with the instinct of an engineer, having a full knowledge 
of the lay of the ground, from the study of maps that were furnished 
him. decided not to enter the town; hut the head of the column, then 
coming up, was double-quicked by a diagonal shortcut, at the outskirts 
of the place, and arrived on the Alt. Pleasant pike just at the critical 
luck\- moment to meet the tail-end of Capron's fagged-out cavalrymen, 
closely pursued by Forrest's exultant troopers. A dashing Captain on a 
splendid black charger with foam-flecked shoulders and a yellow saddle 
blanket, was in the advance, deliberately shooting our men in the back 
of their heads with his revolver. He was dropped from his seat by the 
first infantryman that crossed the road. The plucky tooth ( )hio was 
in one short minute deployed as skirmishers and advanced rapidly to 
meet the enemy, but, as usual, when cavalry meet an infantry line, they 
stopped, falling back on the road and through the fields beyond the range 
of our skirmish fire. 

Gen. Cox's Division was soon in position, and before noon Gen. 
Stanley arrived with the Fourth Corps, approaching Columbia by a 
parallel road, and with the addition of Strickland's Brigade of Ruger's 
Division, Twenty-third Corps, reinforcements of cavalry and a Regular 



14 THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 



battery which joined us here, we were in better shape as to numbers than 
we were at Pulaski. Our stay at first in this position was rather monot- 
onous, with only cavalry in our front, but an occasional skirmish added 
to the interest. When Hood's infantry arrived, and his batteries were 
placed in position, there was more excitement, with artillery practice; 
but they evidently did not like the looks of our position, for they made 
no demonstrations leading to an assault, but kept our cavalry on the 
flanks uneasy, as though they contemplated flanking us out of our posi- 
tions. 

Schofield was anxious to preserve the railroad and wagonroad bridges 
that spanned Duck River, which he could only do by remaining on the 
town side; but he knew, too, that this would not be important if Hood 
should cross the river at some other point and get between him and 
Nashville; so, at the end of two days, after dark. Cox's Division was 
crossed over to the north side of the river, and works were thrown up 
to protect the bridge crossings. Two days later the balance of our troops, 
with artillery and trains, were brought over, and to prevent the enemy 
from using the bridges they were destroyed; but that did not prevent 
some of the venturesome from crossing in the darkness of the night, and 
our pickets had considerable trouble from the enemy's skirmishers. This 
annoyance was so great that Gen. Cox determined to drive them into 
the river, and sent word to his Inspecting ( )fficer that one of the regi- 
ments of the First Brigade should charge them with the bayonet, and 
demonstrate right there whether or not those iron candlesticks they 
were carrying around with them could be turned to any other use as 
implements of war. The attempt failed, because their men were too 
well protected by the skirmishers and artillery on the opposite bank, their 
covered batteries pouring in a rapid plunging fire as soon as our line 
formed for the charge. The men were ready and eager to go, and had 
started a yell which invariably accompanied a double-quick advance, but 
the staff officer ordered them back under cover when he saw the attempt 
would result in too great a loss for the advantage to be gained. 

On the morning of the 29th we learned that Hood was crossing 
some of his troops a few miles above Columbia, at Huey's Mill. 

Gen. Stanley moved in the forenoon with a part of the Fourth Corps 
to guard the wagon trains then on the way to Spring Hill, and reached 
that place at noon. They were just in time, and Wagner's Division 
deployed at double-quick. Bradley on the right. Lane next, and Opdycke 
on the left, and pushed forward through the eastern suburbs of the town 
against Forrest's cavalry, which command had been repulsed by Wilson 
at Alt. Carmel, five miles east of the Franklin pike, and had turned over 



TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 





Major Wilbur F. Goodspeed, 
Asst. Chief of Artillery 4th A. C. 



Capt. Alex. Marshall. 
Com. Battery 4th A. C. 





Lt. Col. Harry S. Pickands, 
Com. 103d (). V. 1. at Spring Hi 



Capt. Charles E. Sargeant, 
Co. E.. 103d O. V. I. 



THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 



£tfNS£jK 




■8" I 







TO XASH VILLI-.. TENNESSEE. 




Maj. Gen. David S. Stanley, 
Cum. 4th A. C. 



to Spring Hill by the Murfrees- 
boro road to obstruct our trains. 
The)' were driven back to the woods 
by our infantry, and moved under 
cover to Thompson's Station, two 
or three miles toward Franklin. 
When Gen. Schofield arrived at 
Spring Mill with Ruger's Division. 
soon after dark, he learned from 
Stanley that some of the enemy 
were across the road at Thomp- 
son's Station, and he pushed on 
with a brigade of Ruger's com- 
mand, leading the troops in per- 
son, gallantly charging, and drove 
them from their position. 

Leaving Ruger there, be returned 
to Spring Mill, arriving there just 
as Cox at midnight reached the 
place in the lead of the Twenty- 
third Corps. A small body of the 
enemy readied the pike between Spring Mill and Columbia, but were 
easily driven back by the wagon guard and artillery. 

Col. Lyman Bridges, Chief of Artillery of the 4th Corps, bad charge 
of and posted the batteries on the left of the pike, and Maj. W. F. Good- 
speed, Assistant Chief of Artillery, bad charge of the batteries on the 
right, which were bandied so admirably against the assaulting lines of 
Cheatham's Corps. There was some slight skirmishing until the middle 

of the afternoon, when the bead of M I's infantry column arrived. 

with Cheatham's Corps of nine brigades in the lead. Mood was aware 
from the artillery firing that Schofield was still 
at Columbia with a portion of bis command, and 
he ordered Cheatham to march in line against 
anything he should meet and drive them across 
the pike. Cheatham did push forward, and with 
solid force struck the right of our line, crowd- 
ing Bradley's Brigade back in confusion almost 
to the pike; Bradley being wounded in the as- 
sault. The loss was about 250 men. The other 
two brigades were not much engaged. This at- 
tack was followed up vigorously until they struck Brig - ^*' y 
a slight line of fortifications occupied by a single Com. Brig. Wagner's 

,, - . - " ° 4th A. C. Wounded 

battery and a small regiment of infantry, the Spring mil Term 



/^x 




IS 



THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 









Maj. Gen. Thomas T. Wood. 
Com. Div. 4th A. C. 



ig. Gen. Nathan Kimball. 
Com. Division 4U1 A. C. 



battery was commanded by the valiant Alec Marshall, who was absolutely 
fearless in short-range work, and the regiment by Col. Harry Pickands, 
as ftill of mettle as any one that ever commanded men. The men of 
this regiment were what were left of the 103d ( )hio. They had been 
so cut up and reduced in numbers (hiring the Atlanta cam- 
paign that they were detailed as Gen. Schofield's headquarters 
guard, and were the first troops to reach Spring Hill, arriving 
there with the train between 10 and 11 o'clock in the morning. Gen. Ful- 
lerton, of Stanley's staff, saw them there when he arrived, and ordered 
them in line to support the battery. As Stanley's report does not mention 
their presence, even, it would seem proper to here note the part they took 
in the engagement. Bradley's men as they fell back rushed by them on 
either side, but they remained to support the battery. The officers had 
broken open boxes of ammunition and built a little parapet of cartridges 
in front of the men, from which they loaded; and a rapid, withering fire 
was poured into the advancing lines, doing terrible execution at this short 
range. The guns also were handled by Lieut. Bills with wonderful 
rapidity. This furious, driving storm of lead and iron had never been 
surpassed, and rarely equalled, by the same quality and number of arms. 
Cheatham's troops, encountering at this point such fierce opposition, and 
believing they had struck our main line of fortifications, halted, fell back, 
and commenced building a line of earthworks. Of course, it is not prob- 



TO NASHVILLE. TENNESSEE. 



able, nor is it claimed, that a small regiment of infantry, no matter with 
how much bravery they fought, could, under the same circumstances, hold 
in check a line that a well-tried and splendid brigade had retreated from ; 
but the situation here was such that the rebel General commanding was 
deceived as to the force confronted. At the same time, the little band 
is entitled to the credit of staying where it was put. If the men of the 
103d ( )hio had fallen back with the brigade, Cleburne would have crossed 
the pike. Brown would have followed him. we would have lost possession 
of the road, our army would have been cut in two and the result might 
have been different. 

The officers <>\ the [03d ( )hio tried to check the fleeing troops, and 
taunted their officers with the bad example they were showing their men. 
Capt. Charley Sargeant grabbed one officer who was tearing past him, 
who shouted "For God's sake, don't stop me! I'm a Chaplain!" Addi- 
tional troops coming up, the rebels pushed out some to feel Wagner's 
left flank, but made no further attempt to carry our position. 

The officers commanding the regiment and battery were old friends. 
and had not met for years, but during the fight there hail not been time 
for even a nod or a handshake; but when the engagement was over, 
.Marshall came forward to the infantry line, which was only a few yards 
in advance, and greeted his friend in a modest manner, with the remark: 
"Well, this was a warm reception!" 

An eye-witness said that he had noticed the artillery officer in action, 
and he was holding his men and handling the guns with the fury of a 
demon, and while he stood talking with the Colonel his face was still 
hushed, the big veins were bulging on his temples, and perspiration and 
smoke had streaked his face, but in other ways he appeared as serene and 
smiling as though nothing had happened. 

Col. Pickands showed a hearty pride in the action of his men, with 
whom he mingled from beginning to end, steadying and encouraging 
them, and the last one would have died for their Colonel, for they fairly 
worshiped him. Their duty having been well done during this emergency, 
they were led back to their train. 

Darkness was now approaching, and Stewart's Corps of four divi- 
sions arrived, and together with Cheatham's command went into bivouac 
for the nio-ht. 



THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 




TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 



THAT TRYING NIGHT MARCH. 

About this time Gen. Cox's Division, which had been under a heavy 
artillery fire all day from Hood's guns stationed in and near Columbia, 
started for Spring Hill, leaving Wood and Kimball, who had been or- 
dered to follow soon after. This night march was a very rapid one, and. 
with the exception of a halt at Rutherford Creek to help out some 
artillery and teams that were there clogged, the distance to Spring Hill, 
about i _' miles, was made at the rate of four miles an hour. The rear- 
guards were ordered positively to use the bayonet on fence-corner strag- 
glers, and the orders were in several instances obeyed. When the ( General 
and staff reached Spring Hill we were stopped on the road by Col. 
George Northrup, of a Kentucky regiment of infantry. He cautioned us. 
Hist," with finger to his lips, not to speak above a whisper, and pointed 
to the camp-fires on the rolling slopes within sight of the road. 

We could plainly see that the soldiers standing and moving about 
the flaring lights were Johnnies, and in the quiet of the night could hear 
their voices. An officer was left to repeat the caution to the advancing 
a lumn. 

Farther along on the road we found Gen. Stanley at his headquarters 
in the dooryard of a mansion, and from whom we learned the whole 
situation. While mingling with the staff officers, we found them quietly 
commenting on the loss of one of their number, who, accompanied by 
an Orderly, had keen sent with orders to the line, and then pushing out 
on a quiet reconnoissance, was captured by the rebel pickets; the ( >rderly, 
fortunately escaping, reported the circumstances. 

"fhe promixity of the two armies was such that it seems incredible 
there were not frequent clashes during the night, or even a general attack- 
to break our line on the night march. 

Gen. Schofield, arriving at this time from Thompson's Station, or- 
dered an immediate march to Franklin, and Gen. Cox's Division to lead 
the advance. Keeping up the long, stead)- stride of four miles an hour, 
in the clear starlight, without meeting a soul on the road, we reached 
Winstead Hills about 3 o'clock in the morning. 

'fhe General and staff then pushed on rapidly to Franklin, awoke 
Col. Carter, and made headquarters at his little brick cottage, the last 
house in the southern suburbs of the town, on the Columbia pike. 

In the absence of the Inspecting Officer, who was with the rear- 
guard, the writer was instructed to place the troops in position ; and while 
sitting out in front of the house, waiting for the head of column to 
arrive, everything was as still as the grave, and there was time to ponder 
on what the following day would firing forth. 

I did not realize, and very few, perhaps, anticipated, the dreadful 
and bloody outcome; but. rather, looked for another dank movement. 



22 



THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 



n'«fMrV/;,.;:' ; : ' ''-■ :. 



FIELD WORKS 




TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 




THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 




Maj. Gen. Jacob D. Cox, 
Com. 23d A. C. and Two Divi- 
sions of 4th A. C. in Battle of 
Franklin, Tenn. 



next, and Riley last, all facing 
temporarily unwell, and had requeste 
lieve him of personal command of hi 



as at Columbia. Presently the tramp 
of horses in the distance and the rattle 
of tin cups against bayonet clasps fore- 
told the coming of the troops. First the 
brigade officers, mounted, appeared, and 
they were led oft" to the right of the road, 
where a hasty inspection of the ground 
was made in the darkness ; then the 
weary men came marching by the left 
flank. The night tram]) had been wear- 
ing to those on foot, for they had been 
] tressed to unusual speed, and their anx- 
iety about the train, that was strung 
along by their side, kept them peering 
out into the dim distance, lest Forrest's 
cavalry might strike them at any point, 
although evet\- regiment had a company 
deployed in the fields to our right. The 
Third Division of the Twenty-third 
Corps was led into position on the east 
side of the pike — Stiles, commanding 
Henderson's Brigade, first. Casement 
ing the south. Col. Henderson was 
Col. Stiles, of the 63d Ind., to re- 
jrigade ; but he remained with the 



their mornim 



W<»4 



brigade during the engagement, and watched every movement with as 
much solicitude as though he were giving the orders direct to the regi- 
mental commanders. Gen. Cox was placed in command of the two divi- 
sions, his own and. Ruger's, and was instructed — as soon as the troops 
could get a short breathing spell, a few winks of sleep, ai 
coffee — to strongly intrench themselves. 

It was deemed expedient by Gen. Schofield 
to make our stand on the south side of the town 
and river, so that the trains could mass in the 
streets and open spaces in the village, while a 
wagonroad bridge was being built and planks laid 
on the sleepers of the railroad bridge for their 
transfer across. Gen. Schofield had the previous 
day sent an urgent request to Thomas to ship by 
rail a pontoon bridge to Franklin for the Harpeth 
crossing, and expected to find it there, but in this 
was disappointed. It had instead been sent by 
the wagonroad, in charge of Maj. Jenny, of the 
Engineer Corps, and did not arrive in time to 
be of service. 




TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 




26 



THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 




Col. Jos 
Com. Bradley's 1! 



In this embarrassing situation 
there was nothing to do but con- 
struct the bridges with the meager 
facilities at hand ; so, with his En- 
gineer Battalion and details of 
troops, the work was performed, 
requiring his constant personal at- 
tention. He remained in this posi- 
tion up to the time of the engage- 
ment, so as to better superintend 
the crossing, and at the same time 
be near the railroad and telegraph 
station; while from Fort Granger, 
on the bluff east of the railroad 
and near the river, he had perfect 
command during the battle of the 
entire field, and to direct the fire 
of the artillery stationed there 
with him. During the forenoon 
the troops, in close order, kept 
;ide of the road and wagon trains 



pouring in, the infantry 
and artillery to their left. 

The march was not so rapid as during the night, for they were con- 
tinually harassed by Forrest's cavalry attaching in weak points on the 
road. Wood's Division of the Fourth Corps passed through the town 
and formed in position on the north of the Harpeth ; Kimball's Division 
of the same corps was ordered to report to Gen. Cox, and was placed by 
him on the right of the Twenty-third Corps, with its right fiank resting 
on the Harpeth River. Two brigades of Wagner's Division, Fourth Corps 
(Lane's and Conrad's), were countermarched, and placed something over 
ioo rods in our front, across the 
Columbia pike, to watch the approach 
of the enemy, and to their right and 
front, on a little knoll, a section of v 

Marshall's Battery, supported bv an ^JtM^^^^l^s^^ 
infantry regiment. 

( (pdycke's Brigade, of the same 

division, which had been acting as 

rear-guard from Spring LI ill, passed 

through our line, and was ordered by 

Gen. Cox to take up position in re- -*£^{5 

serve behind Carter's Hill. The two .t^^'^J^" 

regiments of Reillv's Brigade that The Drummer Boy killed while trying 

to block a gun. 




TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 




THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 




i 




Gen. George I >. Wagner, 
Com. Div. 4th A. C. 



Col. Emerson ( )pdycke, 
Com. Brig. Wagner's Div. 4th A. C. 



were left back in the skirmish line at Duck River arrived, and formed the 
second line behind the main works. The batteries of the Fourth Corps 
were placed in our main line. They were ordered to report to Gen. Cox. 
to take the places of the Twenty-third Corps artillery that had been 
posted on the north side of the river, as it was the first on the ground, 
and it was the intention, at that hour, to have all the artillery pass over 
as it arrived. By the middle of the afternoon our trains were nearly all 
across the river, and it was intended the troops should follow after dark, 
and accompanying them during the night toward Nashville. But it 
seemed that Gen. Schofield's plans were to be somewhat interfered with. 
to the extent that the continuation of our march was some hours later. 
For when Gen. Hood's sleepy army awoke at Spring Hill, and he 
found, how skillfull}' (Jen. Schofield had marched his command past him 
during the night, and an examination by daylight showed him how easily 
he could have cut us in two at any time during the night or headed us 
off entirely the previous afternoon, had he known our exact situation, he 
was so chagrined that he cursed everybody, high and low ; censured 
Cheatham and Cleburne, and the entire forces that were present, for not 
taking possession of the road; and made his whole army understand that 
it must make up for that blunder at once, and that 110 time was to be 
lost in overtaking and destroying our army wherever found. So he 
pushed on in pursuit, their cavalry occasionally attacking our trains and 
burning a wagon or two. until they came up with our rear-guard about 
noon at \\ instead Hills. These two splendid fighting Generals, Cheatham 



TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 




THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 




Lt. Gen. Alexander P. Stewart, 
Com. Corps Hood's Army. 




Mat. Gen. Benjamin l*. Lheatham. 
Com. Corps Hood's Army. 



and Cleburne, felt keenly the morning's reprimand, which they considered 
undeserved, and as they rode together at the head of their commands 
they discussed it with bitter resentment, and determined at the first op- 
portunity to make the fight of their lives, and disprove the unjust charges 
of their commander. Stewart's Corps moved on to the right, toward 
Lewisburg pike, turning Opdycke's flank, when he fell slowly back to 
the town. 

( ien. Cheatham with his corps moved by the Columbia pike, and 
formed in line north of Winstead Hills. From our position the oncers 
and horses could be plainly seen on this range of hills, a little more than 
two miles away, as though studying our position. 

From this elevation the beautiful panorama, embracing the rolling 
intervening country and the town of Franklin nestling in the Valley of 
the Harpeth, was plainly in the vision of Hood's officers, showing also 
the disposition of our troops and the earthworks encircling the town. 
Bate's Division inarched over to Carter's Creek pike and formed behind 
the Bostwick house. Stewart's Corps moved over to the McGavock 
house, where the first skirmish firing was heard in the grove; it was by 
Reilly's men, who had gone there for logs to put on the earthworks. 

Firing was now 7 commenced over on the right where Bate was form- 
ing, and the guns stationed on the pike poured in volley after volley with 
great rapidity. ( ien. Cox rode over to Henderson's Brigade, which was 
on higher ground, and from a parapet, with his fieldglass, watched the 
advancing lines until they ran over Wagner's men. 



TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 




g -0 

O TO 



THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 





Lt. Gen. Stephen D. Lee 
Com. Corps, Hood's Arm} 



Ma j. Gen. William I!. Bates, 
Com. Division Cheatham's Corps 



He then mounted his horse and pushed for the center, steadying the 
line and directing the men to withhold their fire until the advanced lines 
were inside of the works. The suspense was now growing, for we knew 
there was to he a battle. The men were heated from the exertion of 
strengthening the works, hut they laid down their shovels and picks, and 
took up their guns with a firm grip, anil stood there with hated breath 
and blazing eyes, frowning over the works at the advancing foe and 
awaiting the order to commence tiring; for they were fairly burning to 
avenge the deaths of their brave comrades that were left on the bloody 
battlefields of northern Georgia, and this was their first good chance for 
wiping out many an old score; and, oh! what a real comfort it was to 
know 7 that we who, during the hot Summer campaign, had stood the 
crash of so many fierce assaults against their solid fortifications, were 
now on the right side of the works, and in such a splendid position, with 
a gentle slope away from us and not even a mullein-stalk to obstruct our 
fire for a good third of a mile. 

Before the break in the advanced lines. Gen. Cox's Engineer Officer, 
the writer, was standing on the parapet of the tooth Ohio, the first one 
on the left of the Columbia pike, urging the men to strengthen the works, 
and talking with Gen. Wagner at the time. The General was reclining 
on his elbow, his feet hanging over the works, with a staff or crutch in 
his hand ; he had fallen with his horse and was lame. They remarked 
that the musketry firing was becoming more rapid, also that the section 



TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 





Brig. Gen. Orlando M. Poe, 
Chief Engineer, Military Division 
the Mississippi. 



Capt. Levi T. Scofield, 
of Engineer Officer, 23d A. C, 

J. D. Cox's Staff. 



Gen. 



of artillery was doing some lively work. By and by a staff officer rode 
fast from one of the brigades and reported to Wagner, excitedly, "The 
enemy are forming in heavy columns ; we can see them distinctly in the 
open timber and all along our front." 

Wagner said firmly: "Stand there and fight them." 

Then turning to the Engineer Officer, he said, "And that stubbed, 
curly-headed Dutchman will fight them, too." Meaning one of his brigade 
commanders. 

"But, General," the Engineer said, "the orders are not to stand, 
except against cavalry and skirmishers, but to fall back behind the main 
line if a general engagement is threatened." 

In a short time another officer of Stanley's staff rode in from the 
right in great haste and told him the rebels were advancing in heavy 
force. He received the same order. The officer added: "But Hood's 
entire army is coming." Then Wagner struck the ground with his stick. 
"Never mind; fight them." Hut even after this, they had time to come 
back in good order if they had been so directed. 

Soon we heard the rebel yell and heavy firing. Marshall's men with 
the two guns had fixed prolonge and fired as they fell back on the pike 




34 THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 

to the advanced ride pits, leaving their dead, but bringing in their 
wounded. The horses then brought the guns in on an easy trot. As 
they turned in around the short apron earthwork covering the gap across 
the pike, Alec Clinton, one of the gunners, jumped off the limber, his 
face black with powder smoke, and said, with a grim smile, 
"( )ld hell is let loose, and coming out there." 

The firing now was continuous, and under the rising smoke we could 
see a commotion in our advanced brigades ; officers were hurrying from 
point to point to hold the men to their work. A few horsemen were in 
sight, some mounting and others dismounting, but only an occasional 
dropping back. Soon we noticed the right of Stewards command wrap- 
ping around Conrad's left, and then our men rose up and the break 

commenced. The right of Cheat- 
ham's corps was sweeping over the 
little rise of ground on which the 
*HZ= low earthworks were built, in what 
appeared a solid human wave. 
-'* : ** :i And such a racket! Their shout- 

Marshall's battery tiring at fixed } ng see med to show such confidence 

in ' olonge - as men would have who had been 

led to believe that the line they were assaulting was a weak one. 
The firing had slackened and the smoke cleared, so that we could plainly 
see the splendid advance. 

It was a grand sight! Such as would make a lifelong impression 
on the mind of any man who could see such a resistless, well-conducted 
charge. For the moment we were spellbound with admiration, although 
they were our hated foes ; and we knew that in a few brief moments, 
as soon as they reached firing distance, all of that orderly grandeur would 
be changed to bleeding, writhing confusion, and that thousands of those 
valorous men of the South, with their chivalric officers, would pour out 
their life's blood on the fair fields in front of us. As forerunners well 
in advance could be seen a line of wild rabbits, bounding along for a few 
leaps, and then they would stop and look back and listen, but scamper 
off again, as though convinced that this was the most impenetrable line 
of beaters-in that had ever given them chase ; and quails by the thousands 
in covies here and there would rise and settle, and rise again to the warm 
sunlight that called them back ; but, no, they were frightened by the 
unusual turmoil, and back they came and this repeated until finally they 
rose high in the air and whirred off to the gray skylight of the north. 

The day had been bright and warm, reminding us of the Northern 
Indian Summer; the afternoon sun, like a ball of fire, was settling in all 
its southern splendor in a molten sea of bronze, over the distant hills ; 
and in the hazy, golden light, and with their yellowish-brown uniforms, 



TO NASHVILLE. TENNESSEE. 



those in the front ranks seemed to be magnified in size ; one could almost 
imagine them to be phantoms sweeping along in the air. ( )n they came, 
and in the center their lines seemed to be many dee]) and unbroken, their 
red-and-white tattered Mags, with the emblem of St. Andrew's cross, 
as numerous as though every company bore them, flaring brilliantly in 
the sun's rays, with conspicuous mounted groups of general and staff 
officers in their midst, and a battery or two in splendid line charging along 
between the divisions. Scattered along in front of them were our men 
bent almost to the ground, with their heads turned to see if the enemy 
were gaining on them. It was every man for himself and the devil take 
the last man over the works ; but here and there brave fellows would 
hesitate as if they would like to face and fight them. 

( >n the right of Walthall's and the left of Loring's Divisions there 
were occasional breaks made by our infantry and the terrific volleys from 
the batteries on the opposite bank of the river; also, from Marshall's 
and Canby's Battery M, 4th U. S. Art., who poured canister into the 
enemy that were swarming through the railroad cut ; but officers on 
horseback and afoot were at every gap, trying to close them up, so that. 
on the left, Stewart's living sea, with raging surf, in wave following 
wave, broke and fell, and plunged onward over the sloping beach in our 
front. 

Those who have stood 011 the Cliff road at Newport and watched 
the masses of brown seaweed from the gulf stream carried by the white- 
capped waves over the bright green water of the beach will have a fair 
idea of the appearance of those lines that charged forward and receded 
011 that fateful daw Still the great seething mass came rolling on to our 
center. Although the smoke was spreading, we could see them plainly, 
but could not open with our artillery and infantry fire until our men 
were safely over. It was a situation that required the greatest braverv 
for the men to stand there firmly, and to hold their fire until the enemy 
were within 100 yards of our intrenchments. But those stern-faced 
veterans from the Middle West, in regiments that were short, though 
compact, touched elbows and grappled grimly their trusty Enfields, ready 
to pour in their first volley as soon as the Fourth Corps men uncovered 
their front. 

( )h, what a mistake the brave Wagner made! Through the gap, at 
last, and over the works our men came, with Cleburne and Brown hot 
after them. Wagner by this time was on his horse riding backward and 
facing the disorganized brigades, trying as hard as ever a man did to 
rally them. With terrible oaths he called them cowards, and shook his 
broken stick at them; but back they went to the town, and nothing could 
stop them. The writer was also mounted and assisted Wagner until, in 
front of the Carter Mouse, he was so unfortunate as to be dismounted, 



THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 




TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 37 

receiving a slight wound in the leg from the same shot that killed his 
horse. Just then a young Sergeant, all made up of true mettle, and with 
flashing eye, turned and brought his gun down on the ground and said: 
"Hold on, hoys; I don't go back another step." About 20 stopped with 
him. 1 patted him on the back and led him with his men into our reserve 
line; perhaps others stopped, but the great mass went through the town 
and across the river. Wagner was a great fighter; it is said that bullets 
rattled out of his clothes for a month after the battle of Stone's River, 
and his division was as good as any other, but they had been pressed too 
closely, and for some reason thought the whole line would break. Their 

officers tried hard to check them, 

but their organization was brok- 

.''.."■sT^Ta ..~:'*?Wp\!il£''/''\'' : - «a - \ .. i-'n in their scramble back frmu 




. r"j,wT\ ' "^' A y(£WjjfWk / (^'Wed* the tr " nt - It xvas not the fault 
fVii-'rf^ f^Jty 'y$. by' of the men - nor their officers, 

O+M^Y'fjzr^iC'*' P- V ' but <>f theil * rash Genera b and it 

'till fc£" '___ ^ILpJib _^? W as the only fault in his long, 

splendid career; but it lost him 
Gen. Wagner trying to rally the two brigades his command. I'oor Wagner is 

in their routs to the rear. , , , • , • TT 

now dead; his soul is m Heaven 

with the heroes, and let us exercise our full measure of charity in forgiv- 
ing this one error, and cherish the memory of his personal valor and 
dauntless courage on the hard-fought battlefields of the West. 

If our men, in this part of the line, with every fiber strained to al- 
most breaking tension, could have had time to fire two or three volleys, 
they would have regained the nerve they had lost during this awful sus- 
pense, and held the line without a waver. But Cheatham's whole corps 
was right on top of those few regiments before they could fire a shot, 
and some of them were forced back a short distance from the line on 
either side of the pike. Xow was the great opportunity for the brave 
Cols. Rousseau and White and the battery commander, Charley Scoville. 
The two former were in command of Reilly's second line and had been 
cautioned by Gen. Cox, before riding over to Henderson's Hrigade. to 
look out for a break at this point, and when it did come they were ready. 
These troops were made up of those daring, earnest men from the moun- 
tains of East Tennessee and Kentuckians from the northeastern part of 
the State, where they were so thoroughly loyal that they kept on shooting 
rebels after the war was over. They did not wait for an order, but sprang 
over the low rifle-pits like tigers, and with a shrill shout that was heard 
even above the rebel yell, and a heroism rarely equalled by men, went 
pell-mell into the mass of Confederates that had taken our line and did 
not know what to do with it. At the same time Charley Scoville cracked 
his blacksnake whip around the ears of his artillerymen, and drove them 



THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 



back to the guns. At it they went with pick-axes and shovels, slashing 
all around them with the forocity of demons. 

For a few minutes there was a fierce hand-to-hand combat, and. it 
was right in those few minutes that the fate of one or the other of the 
armies was to be decided. For a little time it looked decidedly against 
us. but the desperate determination of our men. who were rallying to 
regain the line, had its effect, and a change began to show itself. 

A moment before Gen. Cox had sent Lieut. Tracy, one of his Aids, 
to order up Opdycke's Brigade, but they were already filing up the pike, 
left in front, with their chivalric chief on foot by their side. Gen. Cox 
led them diagonally across the pike, so as to uncover the buildings in 
Carter's yard, preparatory to charging the broken line in Strickland's 
front. They were pointed directly toward the place Rousseau and White 
were engaged, and the Confederates took it for a heavy reinforcement 
of that part of the line. One by one they seemed shaken, feeling that 
they were to be overpowered ; and, not wishing to place themselves again 
in our front, they threw down their arms and rushed to our rear, prison- 
ers without a guard. 

When Opdycke's men faced to the front to charge the line, it was a 
more serious undertaking, as a larger number of men had broken over 
the works at this point, and had obtained a firmer footing. But there 
was nothing too alarming for ( )pdvcke's bravery, and he urged his men 
forward, placing himself where he could prevent stragglers from drop- 
ping out. He broke his revolver over men's heads, and then seized a 
gun, and whoever looked back within his reach was jobbed under the 
blouse. So he rushed them on, and forced Brown's men from the out- 
buildings in Carter's yard. Strickland's men rallying, counter-charged 
and joined him and soon the ground was in our possession again, and a 
second line established. 

Gen. Cox remained mounted during the entire engagament, so as to 
carefully watch the whole line; and while the confusion was greatest, 
during the break, he was in the midst, display- 
ing heroic bravery, with hopeful look and 
sword poised above. The men saw his con- 
spicuous figure, rallied around him, and he 
waved them back to the line. His sublime 
courage was an inspiration, and the weakest 
man in his command could not withstand its 
ISKiV ^n\fW]WS J influence. If ever an example of personal 
-Jm^kff/lmlzr L bravery turned a tide of battle, surely at this 
point Gen. Cox's quiet but superb magnetism 
impelled every man who caught his eye to 
redoubled effort in wresting victory from de- 
Gen. Cox rallying his troops, feat. Gen. Stanley was also there, showing 




TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 




Capt. A. P. Baldwin. 

Com. Battery 4th A. C. 



great gallantry in encouraging 
the troops, but was wounded be- 
fore he had been on the field 10 
minutes ; his horse was shot un- 
der him and Gen. Cox dis- 
mounted his staff officer, Tracey, 
who was riding his heavy clay- 
bank horse, turning it over to 
Stanley who rode to the rear. 

Every charge ordered by 
Hood, or any of his Generals, 
after this first dreadful ava- 
lanche crumbled and broke, was 
foolhardy and reckless. After 
our line was re-established it was 
as steady as a granite wall ; it 
was next to impossible to break 
it, and the enemy could only get 
over our parapet as prisoners or 
by being killed in the attempt. 
The brave soldiers of the South 
felt it, too, for their after charges, although started with a veil, were 
>ilent as they reached our furious sheets of flame, and as they were forced 
in their heads were bent, their hats pulled down, and their arms shielding 
from sight the almost certain death that awaited them. 

It was the writer's pleasure, a few years since, while on a pilgrimage 
to the old battlefields, to meet at Nashville the late Gen. Cheatham, a very 
comfortable man to approach, with a make-up about equally divided be- 
tween a well-to-do Southern farmer and a Prussian Field-Marshal, hav- 
ing a ruddy, full face and snow-white mustache. lie greeted me most 
cordially, clasping me in his arms, and said: "Well, I heard you were 
here, and I've been looking all over for you. Welcome to Tennessee: 
any man who was in the 
battle of Franklin, no mat- 
ter which side, is my 
friend." Then we had a 
good chat about old times. 
Referring to the two brig- 
ades out in front : "Ah." 
he said, "if it hadn't been 
for the mistake your side 
made there, you would 
have killed every man in 
our armv, and God knows 




^_ C ^ul" l,:^*m?* _=*Os^S 



Artillerymen tilling their stockings with 
bullets. 



THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 



you killed enough of them." It is undoubtedly a fact that if the 
brigades had been called in at the right time, no part of our line would 
have been broken; and if all our brigades had heeded the precaution 
to place head-logs on our works, and abatised our front, as Casement's 
did, the loss all along the lines would have been as light as his, which 
was comparatively insignificant. The officers of Casement's Brigade had 
their men take timbers from the cotton-gin house at the right of the 
line, also cut trees from the grove, and carried the logs in to be placed on 
the top of the parapet. They rested on cross-ties hollowed out to receive 
them, leaving a three-inch space through which to fire. 

Henderson's Brigade, on our extreme left, reached to the railroad 
track, and the works were built in the grounds of a large mansion, which 
were bordered by a splendid osage-orange hedge. 

The line was located about 50 feet from this hedge, so that by cut- 
ting off the trees about four feet above the ground it left an impenetrable 
obstruction, and at the same time open enough through which to fire. 
The tops were scattered along in front of Casement's Brigade, making 
one of the most deceptive rows of abatis ever formed ; it was light, but 
an occasional crotched stick held it in place. 

Walthall's men stopped when it was reached; they were bewildered; 
they couldn't get over it ; they undertook to pull it away, but the sharp 
thorns pierced their hands, and they gave that up ; then right in the 
smoke of our guns they faced to the right, and filed through a gap made 
by a wild charging horse. All this time death was pouring into them 
sheets of flame and lead from the three-inch gap under the head-logs. 
One company of the 65th Bid. had repeating Spencer rifles, and at that 
short range their execution must have been terrible. 

Capt. Baldwin's battery was stationed at this point (15 on map), 
where the dead were piled up like snowdrifts in Winter time, and here 
it was that the obstructions caused them to mass so many deep. 




Gen. Adams' horse killed on the 
breast-works. 



TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 





Brig. Gen. John Adams. 
Killed at Battle of Franklin. 



■*>« r r» 



Maj. Gen. Edward C. Walthall, 
Com. Division Stewart's Corps. 



The brave Captain quickly took advantage of the situation, and to 
mow down this dense forest of humanity he loaded his guns to the 
muzzles with triple rounds of canister and dummies made with stockings 
which the gunners took from their feet, and filled with bullets from the 
infantry ammunition boxes. To use the Captain's words, "At every 
discharge of my gun there were two distinct sounds — first the explosion, 
and then the bones." What fearful carnage, where, at short range, such 
loads of iron and lead were driven through the living wall of men, that 
the crunching of the bones could be distinguished ! It was the same 
battery that was saved while marching out of Spring Hill by the coolness 
of one of the non-commissioned officers. ( )rders had been given to try 
to push through on the Franklin pike, with instructions to abandon and 
destroy the guns, and to save themselves and horses by breaking off into 
the fields on the left, if attacked and hard-pressed. 

They were halted by a rebel picket reserve, posted a short distance 
fnm the road, and the demand came out from the darkness: "What 
battery is vou-uns?" The commander was about to reply by unlimbering 
and turning his guns upon them, when the quick thought struck one of 
his Corporals to say, in a careless voice, "Tenth Alabam. What reegi- 
ment is you-uns?" "Fourteenth Missipp," was the reply, and, apparently 
satisfied, the drowsy sentinel settled down in the fence-corner to sleep. 
They pushed on, and were not again molested until nearly daylight, when 
they were attacked by Hood's cavalry. "Battery by the left Hank: Fire 
to the rear," was the Captain's prompt order. A half-dozen rounds of 



THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 




1 2-pound solid shot scattered the cav- 
alry and saved the trains of two 
corps. 

After dark, when it was safe to 
look over the works, it was a ghastly 
sight to see the mangled dead. All 
along in front of Casement's line the 
bodies reminded one of a rail fence 
toppled over and crossed many deep ; 
or as if grim death had built a new 
abatis of thickly-tangled boughs. The 
ditch at Fort Sanders, Knoxville, 
just one year before, where the pick 
of Longstreet's army lay writhing as 
thick as the sealions on the cliff rocks 
near the Golden ( -rate was bad 
enough to look at, but this was hor- 
rible. 

The groans and moanings were 

pitiable from the poor fellows who 

were so badly wounded that they 

could not move away. 

[The figures that follow refer to positions indicated on the map.] 

(i) Here is where Gen. John Adams plunged through the abatis, 

cleared the ditch, and fell across the crest and headlog ; the rider fell 

outside the line, with from 30 to 40 wounds. He was gently handled, and 

placed upon the ground inside the lines. 

( 2 ) This is where Jack Casement stood when 

speech. 

When the approaching enemy was nearing 

our line he sprang upon the works and turned 

to his troops, and, with that noted ringing voice 

that every one could hear: "Men, do you see 

those damn rebel ( you all know 

the other three words) coming?" 

Then a shout went up. "Well, I want you 

to stand here like rocks, and whip hell out of 

them." He then faced about and fired his 

revolvers until they were empty, and jumped ,/J 

down with the men. \( 

The oratory may not have been as elegant 

as though studied for the occasion, but Caesar 



Brig. Gen. John S. Casement. 
Com. 2nd Brig. 3d Div. 23 A. C. 




to his Romans and Hannibal to his Carthagen- 
ians never made speeches thrilling their ar- 



Gen. Jack Casement holding 
his men to the line. 



TO NASHVILLE. TENNESSEE. 



mies with more effect. It was what they understood and appreciated, and 
what they did afterwards showed how well it was heeded. Not one man 
left the line, and it was Col. Jack's example that held them to the firing 
line. As a commander of men he had no superior, having that magnetic 
influence which drew from them their full capacity of service. His look 
and command held them as firmly as the silken sashes that bound together 
the Greeks at the pass of Thermopylae. 

Just at this time, when the Confederate line was close to our works, 
and our men were concealed by the head-logs. Jim Coughlan, a Lieutenant 
of the 24th Kv., and Gen. Cox's favorite Aid, mounted his black horse, 
and, swinging his cavalry saber over his head, charged back and forth 
along the whole line, cheering the men. and they all turned and gave him 
a cheer, for ever}- man knew the gallant officer. He is the one who, on 
the white horse, led every charge of the Twenty-third and Fourth Corps 
across the field on the first day at Resaca ; and all through the Atlanta 
campaign just such brilliant achievements on his part were noticed. It 
was not his dashing gallantry alone that made him such a favorite, hut 
his military genius was of the highest order, and he was ever ready and 
anxious for duty, with no thought of the weather or hour of the night. 
If there was a spice of danger in it. he was better suited. Often, to avoid 
the dullness of cam]) life, he has begged to accompany me on topographical 
trips, when it was necessary to get information about the country ahead 
of us. 

He was alwavs of the greatest assistance to me. But what risks he 
would take! It was my custom to approach a log hut or rail pile on the 
road cautiously and expose as little of myself and horse as possible; but 
he would gallop on ahead in the middle of the road, singing or whistling 
with the greatest glee, and there had to be more than two rebel cavalry- 
men stationed in the road to keep him from charging. When he mounted 
his horse at Franklin and rode off along the line, with his full figure 
exposed above the works, the staff officers remarked to each other that 
he would surely be killed. It was late at night when we found him near 
the cotton-gin, where the hand-to-hand fighting was the fiercest. We 
lifted the cape from his pale face, and the stars looked down with us and 
wept. He was a handsome fellow of 22 years, with intelligent blue eyes, 
classic features, and a trim brown beard that the contaminating razor had 
never touched. Me was born in southern Illinois, of Irish parents. 
Previous to the war he found employment as a school teacher in Ken- 
tucky, and when his regiment was recruited he was one of the first to offer 
his services. 

The ride to Nashville was lonely to me, and I expected, after three 
days and two nights without sleep, when we spread our blankets on the 
floor of a small house outside the lines, that slumber would come quickly; 
but it was not so with me. After supper I called my black servant, 



THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 




Scott, to bring me a bucket of water, 
with which I swashed out my boot, 
that was plastered thick on the inside 
with foul mud made from the dust 
of the pike and blood that trick- 
led from two wounds that were not 
at all painful. After making myself 
as clean and comfortable as possible, 
I sat on the side of my bed and looked 
over to the empty half that my good 
friend Coughlan had occupied, and 
my only utterance was "Poor Jim." 
In my broken sleep I rolled over sev- 
eral times during the night, and the 
same sorrowful words escaped me. It 
made me wakeful, and I was broken 
with grief to think that I could not 
be with him while he was dying to 
hear his last request and give him my 
hand for his death-grip. Before day- 
light I got up and sat by the window, 
for the bed was so lonely. The one 
who had shared the blankets with me 
for nearly a year was back at the Harpeth River, near the bridge-head, 
with two feet of earth over him. This brave officer could see only one 
thing in martial glory, and that was to die in battle. 

His mind had been usually bright and happy, but gloomy spells were 
coming oftener as the dread disease of epilepsy increased and blighted his 
future. The nights were more frequent, when, after one of these 
spasms, I gently rolled him back in bed. 

There was no suffering, and he had no recollection in the morning of 
what had occurred ; but once in a 

while a depressed feeling would c~} J 

prompt him to ask me if he had 
been unwell in the night, and I 
would satisfy him with a cheering 
word. We who knew him, when 
we saw him dead, believed that 
what he most dearly wished had 
come. Dying like a hero in one 

of the greatest battles of the Gallant Jim Coughlan on his 

world's historv, before his mind last ride. 



First Lt. James Coughlan, 

Aide de Camp Maj. Gen. J. D. Cox's 

Staff. 

Killed at Battle of Franklin. 

Photographed hefore the war time 




TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 




THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 



became clouded and his system broken with bad health, was to him well 
treasured as his dearest prayer. 

(3) During one of the charges that was made on this part of the 
line, an incident occurred at Scoville's battery which is worth relating. 

A slight boy of not more than 15 years, with drum on his back, 
belonging to one of the Missouri regiments, foolishly attempted to force 
his way through one of the embrasures and thrust a fence rail into the 
mouth of the cannon, thinking, by his brave act, to stop the use of that 
gun. It was heavily loaded at the time, and was fired, tearing the poor 
boy to shreds, so that nothing was ever found of him. 

After our return from Nashville, we again put up at the Carter 
House, where we found a young man nursing two companions. After 
breakfast he accompanied me in front of the works, and pointed out 
where his regiment was buried. There were only three of his company 
left — two wounded and he alone unhurt. All the other companies suf- 
fered about the same loss. Their graves were marked with slabs of stave 
timber and the names painted thereon. 

( )ur dead were gathered from the field and thrown promiscuously 
into the ditch and covered en masse with a foot of earth. There is 
nothing left of the old cotton-gin but the stone foundation piers on which 
the timbers stood, but near the site is a brick college building, and on 
the sloping grounds in front of same the ditch where our men are buried 
is plainly marked by a strip of verdure much brighter in color than the 
adjoining lawn, and studded with daisies and buttercups of luxurious 
growth, enriched with the blood of the heroes of both sides, whose spirits 
were here intertwined and ascended together into bivouac above the skies, 
reporting to the Great Commander with equal faith in the justice of their 



o ; ; 



This little locust grove, shown on the map, was a sight to see after 
the battle. The trees stood in a swampy swale, were from two to five 
inches in diameter, and very close together. They were in front of 
Opdycke's and Strickland's Brigades, where more charges were made 
than on any other part of the line. The firing here from both sides was 

terrific. Many of the larger 
trees were cut entirely off by 
bullets, all that were standing 
and all the stumps had each 
hundreds of bullet marks. 
Some were cut in shreds from 
bottom to top, and had the ap- 
pearance, as much as any- 
thing, of broken hempstocks. 
The slopes beyond our whole 
Confederate soldiers charging with their front resembled fields re- 
hats pulled over their eyes. cently raked or harrowed. 




TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 




Ma j. Gen. Patric R. Cleburn, 

Com. Div. Cheatham's Corps. 

Killed on Columbia Pike. 




Brig. Gen. S. R. Gist. 
Killed at Battle of Franklin. 



The Carter cottage, at this point, is the first place visited by Southern 
tourists. The dwelling, which is of brick, looks on the south end as if it 
had been marked with smallpox in blue spots, and all the surrounding- 
outbuilding's have bullet marks in almost every square inch. There were 
also holes from solid shot or shells from rebel guns. 

Col. Carter, who at the time was a paroled prisoner, his father, with 
members of the family and neighbors, remained in the cellar during the 
whole of the fearful carnage. After the battle was over, and our men 
had left, the sisters and others of the household took lanterns and went 
out in the rear of their house, hoping to be of some service to the 
wounded, and among the first was their own dear brother, between the 
locust grove and the abatis, mortally wounded. 

A large proportion of Cheatham's command were raised in this part 
of Tennessee, which accounts, to a great extent, without doubt, for their 
determination and bravery in trying to drive the invaders from their 
homes. 

(4) This is the spot where Gen. Fat Cleburne, the raw-boned Irish 
General from Arkansas, one of the greatest fighters in the Confederate 
army, fell with his iron-gray stallion, in a perfect cyclone of leaden hail. 
The horse was ico feet from the line, but Cleburne's body was found close 
to the works in the middle of the pike. 

(5) Gen. Gist was killed here trying to carry Strickland's line; and 
(6) Gen. Gordon was captured here by the Carter House; (7) Strahl 
was killed here, and (8) Carter mortallv wounded. 



THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 





Brig. Gen. Otto F. Strahl, 
Killed at Franklin, Term. 



Brig. Gen. John C. Carter, 
Wounded at Battle of Franklin. 



What record will compare with that? Brown, the division com- 
mander, was wounded, three of the brigade commanders killed and the 
fourth captured. Surely, Cheatham and Cleburne had kept their promise 
of the early morning that Hood would have no occasion to again find 
fault with their bravery and determination, and the Generals under them 
had by their peerless leadership sustained them in their efforts ; but, oh, 
at what fearful cost! After the battle it was found that in some parts 
of Brown's line the dead were lying seven deep, and regimental and 
company officers were found supported stiff and erect against this barri- 
cade of dead, with their ghastly eyes wide open and their chins dropped 
down, as though looking in horror and reproach at the enemy who had 
made such ruthless havoc. 

(9) Gen. Managault fell severely wounded in front of Moore's 
Brigade. 

The loss of general officers in Stewart's Corps was also large, but not 
so fatal. 

(10) Gen. Cockrell, brigade commander in French's Division, fell 
with two severe wounds. 

(11) Gen. Quarles's command of Walthall's Division suffered heav- 
ily ; he himself was terribly wounded ; his staff officers were all killed, and 



TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 





rig. Gen. Hiram B. Cranberry. 
Killed at Battle of Franklin. 



Brig. Gen. Arthur M. Manigault. 
Wounded at Battle of Franklin. 



the regimental field officers were all killed and wounded, so that the rank- 
ing officer of the brigade who led them off was only a Captain. 

(12) Gen. Scott, brigade commander in Loring's Division, was 
wounded by a shell during the first charge. 

( 13 ) Gen. Granberry, of Cleburne's Division, was killed on the pike 
in one of the desperate charges that were made to carry the center. This 
terrible loss of general officers is probably the greatest shown in so short 
a battle. The loss of field and company officers was also surprisingly 
large. In some of the regiments of French's line there were no commis- 
sioned officers read)- for duty, all being either killed, wounded or captured. 
Many of the field and line officers gave themselves up and came over our 
lines, the most of them reporting to (leu. Cox, and their stories were 

gloom v in the extreme. 

They said the organization of the 
whole army was broken; that there 
was hardly a company officer that 
knew where his men were. 

Some of them were in the battle 
before Atlanta on the 22c! day of 
July (the day McPherson was 

Confederate .lead standing erect among killed > ■ This was the SeCOnd fierce 
the wounded. battle that I food made after he 







THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 




superseded Johnston, where the Con- 
federates assaulted our works and 
were repulsed. Then their right wing 
enveloped our left flank and attacked 
us in the rear, our men springing over 
the rebel side of the fortifications and 
meeting their assault, defeating them 
with great slaughter, and pursuing 
them with loud shouts, which the en- 
emy in our front mistook for a suc- 
cess by the flanking columns, and 
again attacked us with much fury, 
only to be terribly cut by the fire of 
our men for the third time. They 
thought that was hard fighting, but it 
was nothing compared to this, and 
they added: "What is the use in fight- 
ing any more? Haven't we had 
enough of it?" 

(14) Right here is where Clarkie 
died. The men of the 7th ( )hio will 
need no other name to understand 
whom T mean, but others will know 
him better as Mervin Clark, who went out in the very beginning of 
the war as Orderly-Sergeant of DeYillier's Zouaves. He was the light, 
delicate boy of 17 who was so brilliant in the bayonet exercise. He was 
the idol of the old 7th, and soon received a commission for gallantry. 
It was his example in front of the firing line, with his bright smile and 
apparent unconcern under heavy firing, that stimulated many an older 
officer and impelled them to deeds of bravery. He had the lovely char- 
acter of a gentle girl and the lion heart of a hero combined. After his 
term of service as Captain of the 7th and muster-out, he returned to his 
Cleveland home. During a visit to a neighboring town on the lake shore 
he became engaged to a beautiful 
young woman, whom he had known 
since childhood; but parental consent 
was refused, and in his despondency 
enlisted in the Regular army. Some 
of his influential friends secured a 
commission for him as Lieutenant- 
Colonel of the 183d Ohio, and he was 
with it, in command. They were 
mostly young recruits, with a few vet- 
erans from old regiments. To a large 



Lt. Col. Mervin Clark, 

Killed while in command of the 

[83d O. V. I. 





g&P' 



Clark killed while 
his men. 



TO NASHVILLE. TENNESSEE. 



proportion, though, this was their first baptism of fire. When the solid 
lines of Brown's Division rushed against them, one wing broke, and Col. 
Clark seized the colors from the hearer and rushed to the erest of the 
works, then turned to his men, holding the flag above his head and 
begged them to come hack. They did go hack, hut found poor "Clarkie" 
dead. 

He fell in the arms of Col. Zollinger, of the 123d Ind. It was a 
great loss to the men. with whom he was so popular, hut under other 
brave officers they remained in the works until they were relieved with 
the rest of the line. I lis loss was to me a source of great sorrow, for we 





Ma j. Gen. John C. Brown, 
Wounded at Battle of Franklin. 



Brig. Gex. Geokge W. Gordon. 
Captured at Battle of Franklin. 



were schoolmates and he was my boyhood chum. After dinner. Col. 
Casement called at our headquarters and told us that Clarkie, with his new 
regiment, was over in back of our house on the line. My first impulse 
was to rush over and see him, but at that instant was called out on the 
works in our front. When 1 heard that he was among the killed, I re- 
gretted that 1 did not steal even a few minutes to go over and greet him 
before the battle commenced. They captured some of our colors while 
crowding Wagner's Brigade back from the front, and at the breaking of 
our line; but we secured a great many more of theirs. 

My recollection now is that 20-odd stands were taken in front of 
Reilly's Brigade, and that Lieut. Brown, of Reilly's staff, captured eight 



THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 





William M. Wherry, 
Aide Alaj. Gen. John M. 
Schofield's Staff. 



Col. Theodore Cox, 

Adjutant General Maj. Gen. J. D. Cox's 

Staff. 



of them, and carried them in person to Washington. About 10:30 o'clock 
at night a staff officer from headquarters rode over to our line, and told 
Gen. Cox that Gen. Schofield had received a dispatch from Thomas to 
immediately fall back on Nashville. Gen. Gox then related to the staff 
officer the true condition of affairs in our front, and the reports we had 
received from the prisoners of the terribly cut-up condition of their whole 
army, stating that, under the circumstances, it would be a mistake to re- 
treat, and begging him to go back to the General, and see if Thomas 
could not be prevailed upon to countermand his orders, to send on in the 
night fresh supplies of ammunition, and, if possible, (yen. A. J. Smith's 
command. He also sent his Adjutant-General, Col. Theodore Cox, with 
the message that he would answer with his head for holding the lines; 
and that we ought to assume the offensive from that point, without delay, 
and reap the full benefit of the terrible defeat we had already indicted 
upon Hood's army. 

Gen. Schofield's reply was : "Tell Gen. Cox he has won a glorious 
victory, and I have no doubt we could do as he suggests in the morning. 
But my orders from Gen. Thomas are imperative, and we must move 
back to Nashville as soon as possible." 

Orders were then given to leave a strong skirmish line in the works 
in charge of Maj. Dow, Cox's Inspector, and withdraw the troops to 
the other side of the river. About the time the movement was started. 



TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 





Brig. Gen. Frank M. Cockerell. 
Wounded at Battle of Franklin. 



Brig. Gen. William A. Quarles, 
Wounded at Battle of Franklin. 



a house was set on fire in the town, the light of which would expose our 
withdrawal, and the fire had to be extinguished before we actually started ; 
in due time, though, everything, including troops, trains, wounded, and 
prisoners, also the skirmish line, were safely crossed. The planks were 
removed from the bridges, and we again took up our retreat to Nashville. 

A few years after the war it was my pleasure to ride in the cars 
from Columbus, Ohio, to Baltimore, in company with Gen. S. 1). Lee, 
one of Hood's Corps Commanders in the Tennessee campaign. After 
introducing ourselves, he being from Mississippi and I from ( )hio, our 
conversation soon drifted into war matters, and when he found that I 
had a pretty fair idea of the battlefield of Franklin, we were warm 
friends, and in a friendly way we fought over that battle all the way to 
Baltimore. I le told me what shape they were in that night. At 12 o'clock 
they were not aware of our retreat, and Mood had called a council of 
war. He first asked Stewart what he had to report. That ( ieneral replied 
that his corps was all cut to pieces; that there was no organization 
left except with the artillery; that his losses had been very heavy, that he 
would not be able to make an active move in the morning. 

Cheatham was then called upon, and his report was even more 
despondent and gloomy. Then looking fiercely at Lee, Hood said: "Are 
you. too, going back on me? - ' He replied : "( ieneral, two of my divisions 
are badly cut up, but ! have one division left that has not been engaged. 



THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 




TO NASHVILLE. TENNESSEE. 




THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 



and, if you say so, in the morning I will take them and charge with the 
bayonet." Hood saw, of course, that there was no use in attempting 
offensive operations again, but decided right there at daylight they would 
mass their artillery and hurl shot and shell at our works and the town 
during the entire day, and make as bold a show as possible preparatory 
to getting out of the bad situation into which his foolhardy intrepidity had 
led him. There is no doubt that when in the early morning he discovered 
our troops were withdrawn, there never lived a man more surprised. He 
fully expected that we would take advantage of his crippled condition, 
and move out to crush him; knowing full-well that he could only fall 
back to the hills and rely upon his artillery and cavalry to hold us in 
check, while he withdrew his shattered army back across Duck River. 

In fact, instead of at once pursuing, he remained there, not knowing 
what to do, and it was not until the 3d of December that he moved up 
to Nashville and established his lines. Even this timid movement was 
doubtless intended only to cover his retreat, and give him a chance to fix 
up the railroad and bridges, so as to get his transportation safely back on 
the south side of the river. How well he succeeded in this was demon- 
strated from the fact that notwithstanding our rapid pursuit, no wagons 
or equipment were captured on the road from Xashville to Columbia 
after we passed through the camps south of the town. After so many 
facts had been learned, there is no doubt that Gen. Cox was right when 
he first advised against the retreat from Franklin. Although the result 
at Xashville has been considered glorious, still, if the "Old Rock of 
Chickamauga" could for once have been turned, and sent the 9,000 of 
Smith's command, who were at Xashville on the 30th of November, 
by forced march to Franklin, and the balance with Steadman's troops as 
soon as they could have been forwarded, the result at Franklin would have 
been far more glorious. We would have had the enemy in the open field 
instead of behind intrenchments, and we would have found them that 
morning in the most thoroughly demoralized state in which an army could 
be placed. We would, to say the least, have saved the losses of the first 
day of the battle of Xashville, and would have captured very much more 
in the way of prisoners, artillery, and trains. It would have given us the 
opportunity to bury our dead as soldiers, and not have them thrown in 
the ditches as carrion and covered with only a foot of earth. Perhaps 
the most important advantage, though, to our side would have been the 
fact that their army would be so deficient in leaders, so many of their 
best Generals, field officers and commanders in the line having been killed 
and disabled; and there would not have been time for the reorganization 
that was accomplished in the next fortnight at Xashville. Besides they 
would have been burdened with their thousands of wounded and the 
absence in the line of the able-bodied men who would have to accompany 
them to the rear would still farther weaken their effective force. It re- 



TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEI 




THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 



ill i^l 





TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 



quired a full day to get the seriously wounded in field hospitals and those 
who were able to travel loaded in wagons for the rear. 

Among the prisoners that we captured there were a large number 
that were slightly wounded and able to accompany ns to Nashville. 

Just before starting on our midnight march north of the river I 
alighted from my reserve horse to give him a rest, for he was slightly 
wounded, and visited with a group of prisoners and guards that had been 
halted on the road by a hillside, where overhanging roots and boughs 
concealed them sufficiently, so that they had made small fires, and were 
preparing coffee. The big-hearted guards were sharing liberally from 
their haversacks with the prisoners. 

It was an impressive incident to witness such comradeship and 
listen to their jokes. In the red flickering light and blue smoke, with a 
dark background, it was a picturesque sight that would have delighted 
a Salvator to study. Some of the prisoners were grimy, had long hair 
and black stubbed beards with blood-stained bandages over scalp wounds, 
and arm slings of yellow and red bandannas. 

All were ragged and dirty, mostly in butternut homespun, and nearly 
all wore black or gray slouch hats, several marked with bullet holes. 
Some of the older ones were silent and thoughtful, but the younger men 
were cheerful and apparently enjoying their captive life. 

They were congratulating themselves that their guns and accouter- 
ments, which had been tossed into army wagons, would be no longer a 
burden to them; and there was an evident feeling of relaxation after the 
fearful ordeal that had so thoroughly tried their splendid courage. 

It was plainly noticeable in the faces of nearly all of them that they 
had lost heart in their cause; but there were exceptions, for some were 
still defiant and full of fight, as shown by their bold and dogged expres- 
sions. 

The battle of Franklin was without doubt the most decisive engage- 
ment of the campaign, and perhaps tended more than any other towards 
terminating general hostilities in the West; for on this bloody field the 
strongest army of the Confederacy in this section of the country was so 
thoroughly cut-up and weakened that it was no longer feared in offensive 
operations. 

The heroic stand made by the Twenty-third Corps and Opdycke's 
Brigade of the Fourth Corps, with the magnificent valor displayed by the 
sturdy veterans of these organizations, was the cause of their downfall. 
After the completion of the campaign at Nashville and the subsequent 
rout of the Confederates, it was decided that Gen. Schofield's army was 
no longer needed in the West, and it was transferred to and became a 
part of the grand army in the East. The Fourth and Sixteenth Corps, 
under the able leadership of (Jen. Thome's, were considered strong enough 
to wipe out the last vestiges of the rebellion in the West. 



60 



THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 




TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 




THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 





'mfa-* 



Maj. Gen. Andrew J. Smith, 
Com. 16th A. C. 



Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson. 

Com. Army of Tennessee, Atlanta 

Campaign. 



It would seem proper, perhaps, before terminating this story of the 
retreat, to give some account of what happened subsequently at Nash- 
ville. But this paper has already been drawn out too long, and as our 
first two weeks' besiegement was of a very monotonous character, be- 
leagured by an army that we know was crippled to death, almost by 
defeat, it would hardly be interesting to you to hear a description of our 
chafing and uneasiness — particularly the last week, which would appear 
as slipshod to you as it did to us. 

The authorities at Washington were very uneasy because of our 
inactivity, and Gen. Logan had been sent by Halleck with an order to 
relieve Thomas and place Schofield in command. He was detained at 
Louisville by the same ice storm that had for several days made it im- 
possible for us to move. Nothing occurred until the last two days of our 
stay at Nashville, the 15th and 16th of December. 

The sun coming out bright and warm, melted the ice, and our army 
started early. The first day's maneuvers, however, were confined to skir- 
mishing and crowding back the advanced lines to their main works, which 
were accomplished with light losses. Gen. Steedman, with his colored 
troops, moved out vigorously, and were cheered by the whole army for 
their admirable discipline and soldierly appearance. Gen. Schofield with 
his Whiplash Corps, the Twenty-third (this name was given us on the 
Atlanta campaign, because we were always cracking around the flanks), 



TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 



63 




Maj. Genl. Darius X. Cox 
Com. 2nd Div. 23d A. C. 
Battle of Nashville. 




M.\J. ( .KX. ( lORDON < rRANGER, 

or whom the Fort was named. 



which had been in reserve the morning of the first day, was instructed 
to move to the extreme right Hank, and connect with the right of Smith's 
command. We took the fields near the 1 larding Like, and marched 
around by the Hillshoro Pike. Couch's Division of the Twenty-third 
Corps drove the enemy from their advanced works late in the afternoon 
of the 15th, and took up position about a half mile in front of Smith. 
Cox's Division formed on the right, and went into position before dusk 
right under Hood's fortifications on Shy's Hill. There a strong line of 
earthworks was thrown up at the edge of the cornfield near the wood- 
skirted hills. Our skirmishers and the enemy's were within 100 yards of 
each other, shielding themselves behind trees. 

( )ur artillery was placed where we could plant every shell right in 
their embrasures. Capt. Cockerell, our Chief of Artillery, was an excel- 
lent gunner, and the first shell he fired from one of our steel Rodmans 
cut off the head of a Confederate giant who must have been quite seven 
feet in height, for when we advanced in pursuit my horse jumped through 
an embrasure and over his headless body, which was more than six feet 
in length. 

On the morning of the [6th we were confined mostly to artillery and 
skirmish firing. About 3 o'clock in the afternoon Gen. Wood pushed the 
Fourth Corps forward, supported by Steedman on the left, to try the 
strength of the enemy's line, but were repulsed with great loss; Col. Post, 
a brigade commander, being wounded. 



THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 




Maj. Gen. Jas. B. Steediv 

Com. Colored Troops .1 
other detachments at 
Nashville. 




Maj. Gen. James II. Wilson, 

Com. Cavalry, Franklin 



After noon. Gen. Wilson's cavalry, supported by Henderson's Brig- 
ade of Cox's Division, moved around further on Hood's left flank. This 
movement was made easier by reason of the absence of Forrest's cavalry 
at Murfreesboro. This mistake of Hood's in allowing such a useful 
branch as the cavalry had been in his support to be absent on this day, 
contributed more to his easy defeat than any other single cause. It 
enabled Wilson to dismount his men and crowd around in the rear of 
Chalmers, who was supported by Govan's Brigade. 

Here, with their repeating rifles, they kept up an incessant firing 
which made Hood extremely anxious, not knowing but one-half of our 
army was in his rear. In the meantime. Gen. Ale Arthur, of Smith's 
Corps, had discovered that Bate's position had been weakened in looking 
after the flank, and reported to Thomas that an attack on Shy's Hill would 
probably meet with success. Thomas approved of the suggestion, and 
rode over with his staff to where Gens. Schofield and Cox had made 
their headquarters. From this point every move could be seen. McArthur 
placed McMillan's Brigade in position for assault. The artillery from 







Brig. Gen. John McArthui 
Com. Div. 16th A. C. 



'•'I 



Srig. Gen. Jas. W. McMilla 

Com. Brig. McArthur's Div. 

16th A. C. 



TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 






Brig. 


("■EN. 


T.\s. W. Reilly 


Com. 


1st B 


rig. 3d. Div. 23d 
A. C. 



Brig. Gen. Jos. A. Cooper, Brig. Gen. 

Com. 2d Div. 23d A. C. Charles C. Doolittle, 

Com. Brig. 3d Div. 23d 
A. C. 

all our advanced batteries opened with an intense fire on the hill, and our 
skirmish lines were pushed to the utmost. McMillan's double line went 
up the hill as steadily as troops in review. ( )eeasionally a rebel gun could 
be depressed enough to make a gap in the line, but it would immediately 
close up and press on in superb alignment. This was about 4 o'clock. 

Gen. Thomas, the grand old hero, had dismounted from his horse, 
and stood in the pouring rain watching the movement closely through his 
field-glass. Steadily forward moved the lines; gradually they approached 
the crest of the hill. All this time Wilson's rattling din of arms in their 
rear was as continuous as hell's clamor ; now they were up to their works ; 
only for a moment they hesitated, which was followed by a rapid ex- 
change of fire, face-to-face, and a fierce hand-to-hand clubbing of rifles, 
then the line broke. 

Logan remained at Louisville. Thomas had been standing as rigidly 
as a statue of bronze, but quietly turned to Schofield and said: "General, 
will you please advance your whole line?" 

The order was repeated to Cox, and the staff officers rode at a plung- 
ing gait over the fields to the different brigades. But the orders were not 
given to the troops ; they had been watching the movement, too, and 
followed it without orders. It was one of those momentous occasions 
when immediate action was justified, and time was too precious to await 
formal instructions. From this point the whole of Hood's army crumbled 
right and left. Their backbone had been broken two weeks before at 
Franklin. There was no fight left in them. 

No such stubborn resistance as when they repulsed our pounding 
charges at Kenesaw and Lost Mountain. Their officers, of fine ability, 
who held them with their lines with such tenacity during the Georgia cam- 
paign, were lying cold and stiff on the southern banks of the Harpeth. 
Without the leadership they could not stand, and pell-mell they scattered 
over the Granny White Pike to the Franklin Pike, flying as if old what's- 



66 THE RETREAT FROM PULASKI 

his-name was after them. Artillery stuck in the mud, cartridges, guns 
and accouterments of every description bestrewing the ground, as though 
they never again expected to have any need of them, but as if their only 
thoughts were to put as much distance as possible between themselves and 
the dreadful Yankees. Oh, it was a glorious picnic to rush them from 
one hill to another, shouting all the way. Brave Walthall checked us oc- 
casionally with his strong rear-guard ; but Wilson harassed his flanks 
until he had to fall back again. Little heed was taken of time and ap- 
proaching darkness. One officer was so carried away with enthusiasm 
that he became separated from the staff and pushed over to the Fourth 
Corps, who were in pursuit, and then on with the cavalry over the Brent- 
wood hills, so that he did not find his way back to headquarters until 3 
o'clock the next morning, and there found the General and staff stretched 
out in the mud, each one having two fence rails for a bed, no blankets, 
no fire, and a drenching rain to cool off the ardour of the previous day. 



TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 




A3SES5 



°013 708 95 



